Blast furnace gas washer



Brass" Forum-ton GAS wAsnun Owen Ft. Rice, Pittsburgh, Pa., assignor to Koppors Cornpany, Inc., a corporatinn of Deiaware Apptication February 19, 1954, Serial No. 411,433 6 Ciaims. (Ci. 73-432) The present invention relates to liquid distribution and more particularly to apparatus for evaluating liquid distribution over a selected cross'sectional area of an en closed Chamber.

in the art of washing gases with a liquid in an enclosed Chamber, it is important that there be unifortn distribution of the liquid across the horizontal area the chata ber. For example, in a blast furnace gas washer, fully effective contact can be obtained between the upflowing gas and the wetted baifles or other packing which constitutes the Cleaning elements of the washer only if there is proper uniforrn distribution of the downfiowing liquid. Otherwise, the gas fi w selects drier (less resistant) areas and the Cleaning is unsatisfactory since mud deposits coilect in undesirable localities.

In the prior art, liquid distribution for gas washers has been evaluated by detailed drawing board studies of spray pattern distributions but these studies, at best, have only resulted in moderately satisfactory distribution patterns.

One of the features of the present invention is to provide an apparatus which performs an efficient Cva1uation of liquid distribution in a gas Washer.

Still another feature of the present invention is to pro vide a liquid distribution evaluation apparatus which is simple in its construction and maintenance and yet efficient in its operation.

Still another feature of the present invention is to provide a liquid distribution evaluation apparatus which will not interfere with the ordinary operation of the unit to be evaluated.

More particularly the present invention provides in combination, an enclosed Chamber' having liquid inlet means positioned therein and apparatus for determining liquid distribution in the Chamber comprising: a plurality of guide members positioned within the Chamber below the liquid inlet means, the guide members each having one end attached to the inner periphery of the Chamber at horizontally spaced intervals and the other end attached to a common anchor point positioned on the inner periphery of the Chamber; a manhole eutrance in'the charnber adjacent the anchor point; and liquid collecting means adapted to pass downwardly through the manhole to cooperate with the guide members Whereby liquid passing into the Chamber can be collected at preselected stations along each of the guide members in order to evaluate liquid distribution within the Chamber.

It will be obvious to one skilled in the art that various changes can be made in the arrangement, form, Construc tion and type of the various elements disclosed hereinafter without departing from the scope or spirit of this invention.

Reference will now be made to the accompanying drawings which illustrate and exernplify an embodiment of the apparatus of the invention in a preferred type of construction.

Figure l is a schematic cross-sectional plan view of a Patenteti May 3, 1955 gas washer With the liquid distribution evaluating apparatus installed therein. I

Figure 2 represents a sectional eleva'tional view of the washer disclosed in Figure 1.

Figure 3 represents the collector assembly used in combination with the apparatus disclosed in Figures 1 and 2.

Figure 4 represents a side view of Figure 3.

Figure 5 represents a top plan View of Figura 4.

In Figures l and 2 of the drawings, a gas washer 2 is shown having an arrangement of guide members or wires 6 provided therein at a point below the liquid inlets 3 of the gas washer. This arrangement can either be be? low the topmost or the second from the top bank of hurdles 4 which are usually supported by girders 5 in gas washers. One end of each of the wires 6 is anchored to one of a selected number of spaced points on the inner periphery of the washer by means of an eyehook 8. The other end of each of these wires converges and is fastened Ato an assembly anchor point 12 positioned immediately above the manhole 14. Since the anchor point 14 is positioned at a level below the hooks 8, the wires 6 slope slightly downward toward the manhole. A turnbuckle 9 is incorporated on each Wire in order to secure tautness.

A liquid collector assembly (Figure 3) is provided to cooperate with the wires in the gas washer Chamber' 2. This liquid collector assembly comprises a funnel 16, which can be of sheet metal, having attached thereto a demountable assembly of pipes 18. it is to be understood that the pipes can each be of a preselected length which can be readily connected together by the couplings 20. The assembly of pipes iS have an. outlet pipe 22 connected at one end which Can be in the form of a 90 elbow. Connected to the other end of the pipes is an e1- bow pipe arrangement 23, having a Suspension hook 24 thereon in close proximity to the funnel 16.

In operation, various sampling points are selected along each Wire 6. Selection is made with a view to an overall Coverage of the washer area but care is taken not to select a sampling point or station under the horizontal girders 5 that support the aforementioned hurdle banks 4, since the concentrated Cascade of liquid that comes ofr' the edges of these girders wouid result in a false liquid distribution evaluation. The distance along the Wire from each station to a base point that has been selected at the manhole is Carefully established and logged so that the funnel 16 can be accurately positioned at each station by means of the measured length of sectional pipe.

The hook 24 on the funnel pipe assembly is then engaged with the wire 6, the funnel being moved along the Wire until the sampling point is reached. A necessary number of pipes are assembled so as to permit the outlet elbow pipe 2.2 to protrude from the manhole. With the full liquid rate on the washer, the rate of collection by the funnel is logged by collecting the liquid in a suitable calibrated container 26 placed under the outlet elbo'w' pipe 22.

It is to be noted that this operation Can be conducted entirely outside of the washer through the open manhole, the tests being made before the gas is turned into the washer.

After the rate of fiow of each station has been properly recorded, the liquid inlet means 3, which can be adjustable spray nozzles terminating in either or both 45 or 90 elbows, can be adjusted in accordance with the recorded distribution evaluation. After resetting the nozzles in the manner intended to relieve any possible excessive concentration of liquid in one area or another, the distribution tests can be repeated and logged until a proper uniform liquid distribution is obtained. lt has been found that reasonably uniform liquid distribution can be accomplished after about three such tests.

The invention claimed is:

1. In combination, an enclosed Chamber having an inlet liquid distributing means positioned therein and apparatus for determining liquid distribution in said Chamber comprising: a plurality of guide members positioned within said Chamber below said inlet liquid distributing means, said guide members each having one end attached to the inner periphery of said Chamber at horizontally spaced intervals and the other end attached to a common anchor point positioned on the inner periphery of said Chamber; a manhole entrance in said Chamber adjacent said anchor point, and liquid collecting means adapted to pass Collected liquid through said manhole and to Cooperate with said guide members whereby liquid passing into said Chamber can be coilected at preselected stations along each of said guide members in order to evaluate liquid distribution within said Chamber.

2. The apparatus of Claim l, said li uid inlet means in said Chamber being adjustable whereby adjustments can be made for uniform distribution in accordance with the amount of liquid collected at selected points.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said guide members are wire, said liquid collecting means being adapted to slide along said wires to preselected points thereon.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein said collecting means comprises a collecting funnel adapted to be hooked to one of said wires and a pipe attached to the outlet end of said funnel whereby liquid collected by said funnel is passed by gravity flow through said pipe to a Calibrated collecting unit positioned adjacent said manhole and without said Chamber.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, said pipe comprising a plurality of removably connected Sections of predetermined length, permitting accurate station location of said funnel within said Chamber in accordance with the number of Sections connected together.

6. In combination, a gas washer having at least one adjustable inlet liquid distributing means positioned therein, an apparatus for determining liquid distribution from said inlet means in said gas washer Comprising: a plurality of wires positioned within said Washer below said inlet liquid distributing means, one end of each of said wires being attached to the inner periphery of said gas washer at horizontally spaced intervals and the other end of each of said wires being attached to a common anchor point positioned on the inner periphery of said chamber; a manhole entrance in said washer adjacent said anchor point; and liquid collecting means adapted to pass Collected liquid through said manhole and to be hooked onto one of said wires whereby gas washing liquid passing into said Washer can be collected at preselected stations along each of said wires in order to evaluate the liquid distribution in said washer and, in turn, the amount of adjustment required for said liquid inlet means.

References Cited in the file of this patent FOREIGN PATENTS 844,230 Germany Iuly 8, 1949 

1. IN COMBINATION, AN ENCLOSED CHAMBER HAVING AN INLET LIQUID DISTRIBUTING MEANS POSITIONED THEREIN AND APPARATUS FOR DETERMINING LIQUID DISTRIBUTION IN SAID CHAMBER COMPRISING: A PLURALITY OF GUIDE MEMBERS POSITIONED WITHIN SAID CHAMBER BELOW SAID INLET LIQUID DISTRIBUTING MEANS, SAID GUIDE MEMBERS EACH HAVING ONE END ATTACHED TO THE INNER PERIPHERY OF SAID CHAMBER AT HORIZONTALLY SPACED INTERVALS AND THE OTHER END ATTACHED TO A COMMON ANCHOR POINT POSITIONED ON THE INNER PERIPHERY OF SAID CHAMBER; A MANHOLE ENTRANCE IN SAID CHAMBER ADJACENT SAID ANCHOR POINT, AND LIQUID COLLECTING MEANS ADAPTED TO PASS COLLECTED LIQUID THROUGH SAID MANHOLE AND TO COOPERATE WITH SAID GUIDE MEMBERS WHEREBY LIQUID PASSING INTO SAID CHAMBER CAN BE COLLECTED AT PRESELECTED STATIONS ALONG EACH OF SAID GUIDE MEMBERS IN ORDER TO EVALUATE LIQUID DISTRIBUTION WITHIN SAID CHABER. 